Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-06
Thomas Nelson Page.

1 ne lIOUllSpltCt Oh IuO luSI UuUlDcT
of the Book BUycr is a portrait OF
Thomas Nelson Page, ID. l.. The
number also contains the following
sketch of the distinguished Virginia
writer:
In the foremost rank Of the southern
authors who have acquired prominence
in the last few years stands Thomas
Nelson Page, of Richmond, Va, to
whom has been awarded the honor OF
having written the most exquisite story
of the war that has yet appeared
"Marse Chan" Every one who has
felt the deep pathos OF the death of
Marse Chan and Of the old negro ser
wants words: Marse Chan, he done
got de furlough," uttered when the
faithful fellow breaks the sad news to
Miss Anne, the dead soldiers sweet
heart, will be interested in learning
how the story was suggested to the au
thor.
In the autumn Of 1880 a friend of
Mr.. Page showed him q letter which
had been taken from the pocket of a
dead private of q Georgia regiment. 1t
was from his sweetheart, and was very
badly written. She told him of her
love. and expressed sorrow for her bad
treatment of him. She declared that
she had loved him all the time, and,
indeed, ever since they had gone to
school together, when he used to be so
good to her. Finally she said that ii
he would get furlough and come
home she would marry him. There
was postscript scrawled across the
blue Confederate paper to the effect
that he must not come without n fur
Tough, for if he didn't "come honora-
BILE" she would not marry him. The
poor fellow got his furlough at Malvern
Hill or Fair Oaks-by bullet.
Mr.. Page was so touched by the in
cident that he went to his law office
and began to write "Marss Chan"
which he finished in few evenings
and sent off to Scri6ner's Monthly.
At this time, the autumn of 1880, the
newspapers were discussing the coming
Yorktown Centennial, and Mr.. Page
when he sent his "Marse Chan asked
permission OF the editor to write pa
per on this subject. This request was
granted when a few months later
"Marse Chan was accepted, Mr.. Page
receiving $50 for the story. The pa
per upon "Old Yorktown appeared
in the October No, 1881, of Serb
ncr's M0nthLy, but " Marse Chan was
not published until April, 1884, in the
Century, which had succeeded Serb
ner's Monthly. In the mean time Mr..
Page wrote only "a Soldier of the
Empire" the non-appearance of his
story Encouraging him from further at
tempts. Soon after the publication Of
Marse Chan Mr.. Page began to get
letters about ii, and since then he has
received them from every part OF
America, and even from Europe.
Mr.. Pages first publication was
"Uncle Gabe's White Folks, a rhyme
which appeared in the Bric-a-Brac of
Scri6ner's Monthly in 1877. "Marse
Chan was followed by other stories,
of which cole 'Stracted was written
in one night. He considers "Unc'
Edinburg's Drowndin'" the best pic
ture of old Virginia life that he has
drawn. Mr.. Page inherits some of his
taste for writing, his father, John Page,
Esq, being man of fine literary at
tainments. John Page came of dis
stock. He was grandson
OF Governor John Page, OF Roosevelt, |
who was Jefferson's great friend, and |
was leading patriot in the Revolution,
being the first member on the Commit |
tee Of Safety in Virginia. John Page
was also grandson of General Thomas
Nelson, Jr., Revolutionary-War Gov
ernor ofVirginia, and s,igner OF the De- |
of independence. The authors
mother was a granddaughter of Gen
ersl Thomas Nelson, Jr. Mr.. Pages |
father was major in the Confederate
army on the staff OF his brother-in.law,
General Pendleton, General Lees chief |
Of artillery. Young Page was about J
eight years old when the war broke out.
He was living at Oakland, Hanover
county, Va, part OF the old Nelson
domain, situated between two of the
principal roads that led "On to Rich
mond, and for two winters the Army
Of Northern Virginia was encamped
not far from his home. So, although
= boy, he saw and heard good deal
of the war. He was educated at Wash
ngton College and at the University of
virOinia whera ha sfudia1 Ian